Rally Cry
by Raindrops on Roses
Summary: [Complete] 'Ha-ha! Ah, she bet on the Sox, boss.' Kate is cheerful, Tony is humiliated, and McGee is confused. For baseball fans. Well, Red Sox fans, anyway.


Title: Rally Cry

Author: Shannon/Raindrops on Roses

Rating: G  
Category: Humor

Spoilers: The Truth is Out There

Disclaimer: These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No infringement is intended. "Tessie" is sung by the Dropkick Murphys. Lyrics can be found at the end.

Author's Note: Yes, I'm a Red Sox fan. Yes, I'm still hyped from last night's kickass win over the Yankees. No, I don't apologize.

AN2: I don't know why Kate didn't have Tony sing "Sweet Caroline", either. (grins) I just liked the thought of him singing Tessie. Maybe when the Sox win the World Series... (knock on wood).

* * *

KATE: I always lose when I bet.  
TONY: Don't tell me. You had the Cubs.  
KATE: Red Sox.  
TONY: Ha-ha! Ah, she bet on the Sox, boss.

--"The Truth is Out There", NCIS 1.17

* * *

McGee watched Kate with a puzzled look on his face. This wasn't an atypical moment, so nobody gave it much thought.

As Kate strolled off, a bounce in her normally sedate step, McGee's gaze swung to the desk beside his. Tony Dinozzo scowled at his computer screen, typing harder than was strictly necessary. If he continued, his two index fingers would be bruised.

Kate returned with a bunch of copies, singing under her breath. When she sat, McGee noticed a baseball cap on her desk. As a trained agent, it didn't take much to connect the cap, the singing, and the very good mood (which _was_ atypical) that Kate was in.

Kate was a Red Sox fan.

"Are you singing 'Tessie'?" McGee blurted before he could think about it.

Kate turned to him in pleased surprise. "Yeah. You know it?"

"Of course I know it," McGee replied. "My cousin's from Boston. He's a huge Sox fan. He sent me a copy of the CD."

Kate's grin was dazzling. "I _knew_ there was a reason I liked you, McGee."

Tony grumbled inaudibly. Kate smirked. Ah. There was typical Kate. "What's the matter, Tony? Still upset your team got owned last night?"

He turned his glare onto the grinning woman. "The Sox still haven't won the World Series, so don't be so smug."

"Why not?" With that cryptic remark, Kate grabbed a folder and strode toward the elevator. "Tessie, you're the only, only, only..."

Tony turned crimson. McGee's forehead creased in confusion. He decided to pay Abby a visit. Maybe she could shed some light on Tony's odd behavior.

* * *

"Tony's a Yankees fan."

It didn't surprise him--Kate and Tony couldn't agree on anything. It would only be natural that their favorite baseball teams would be archrivals.

"But I didn't think Tony would take the Yankees' loss so hard," McGee said, watching Abby twirl around in her desk chair.

"Oh, it wasn't losing the game that upset him so much," Abby assured him. "It was losing to Kate."

"What do you mean?"

"What does Tony hate more than anything?" Abby asked in Socratic fashion.

McGee thought. "Uh... being shown up by Kate?"

"Being shown up by Kate," she confirmed. "And he knew the Yankees couldn't lose last night, so he made a bet with Kate. Since she never wins when she bets, it was a sure thing."

"What kind of bet?" McGee asked, wondering how Abby always knew the latest gossip--before realizing Kate had probably told her.

"If the Yankees won, Kate would have to sing 'New York, New York'. While dressed in full Yankees regalia. While standing on the bar where they watched the game."

McGee tried to imagine a die-hard Red Sox fan--hell, _any_ Red Sox fan--doing that. He couldn't. He wasn't sure if it was a failure of his imagination, or his unconscious mind trying to protect him from the horror. Probably the latter. His imagination, as Abby would attest, was just fine.

"So what did Tony have to do when the Yankees lost?" McGee asked, trying to tone down his eagerness. He knew Kate would be appropriately sadistic.

"Oh, the same as Tony's bet. Except he had to wear Red Sox stuff, of course, and sing 'Tessie'."

McGee closed his eyes. And grinned. "God. I don't know what I'd like more--to go to a World Series game, or watch Tony sing 'Tessie' in front of an entire bar."

When he opened his eyes again, Abby's green ones sparkled with mischief. "We-ell..." she said.

"What?"

"Kate didn't tell Tony there was a videocamera taping the proceedings."

"You mean...?"

"Uh-huh."

McGee smirked. The look was oddly out of place on his innocent face. "So, did Kate say she wanted to do something special with it, or...?"

"She said abject humiliation was the point. Anything beyond that was just the icing on the cake. Why, you have something in mind?"

His answering smile gave her all the answer she needed.

_End._

* * *

TESSIE  
(by Jeff Horrigan and Dropkick Murphys)

Tessie is the Royal Rooters rally cry  
Tessie is the tune they'd always sung  
Tessie echoed April through October nights  
After serenading Stahl, Dinneen and Young  
Tessie is a maiden with a sparkling eye  
Tessie is a maiden with a love  
She doesn't know the meaning of her sight  
She's got a comment full of love

And sometimes when the game is on the line  
Tessie always carried them away  
Up the road from third base to Huntington  
The boys would always sing and sway

Tessie, Nuff Said McGreevey shouted  
We're not here to mess around  
Boston you know we love you madly  
Hear the crowd roar to your sound  
Don't blame us if we ever doubt you  
You know we couldn't live without you  
Tessie, you are the only only only

The Rooters showed up at the grounds one day  
They found their seats had all been sold  
McGreevey led the charge into the park  
Stormed the gates and put the game on hold  
The Rooters gave the other team a dreadful fright  
Boston's tenth man could not be wrong  
Up from third base to Huntington  
They'd sing another victory song

Tessie, Nuff Said McGreevey shouted  
We're not here to mess around  
Boston you know we love you madly  
Hear the crowd roar to your sound  
Don't blame us if we ever doubt you  
You know we couldn't live without you  
Tessie, you are the only only only

The Rooters gave the other team a dreadful fright  
Boston's tenth man could not be wrong  
Up from third base to Huntington  
They'd sing another victory song

Tessie, Nuff Said McGreevey shouted  
We're not here to mess around  
Boston you know we love you madly  
Hear the crowd roar to your sound  
Don't blame us if we ever doubt you  
You know we couldn't live without you  
Tessie, you are the only only only

Don't blame us if we ever doubt you  
You know we couldn't live without you  
Boston you are the only only only

Don't blame us if we ever doubt you  
You know we couldn't live without you  
Red Sox you are the only only only


End file.
